Sing of happy, not sad

You could say that I have been preparing for my role as preschool teacher since I myself was a preschooler. Like most adults of a certain age or older, who didn’t have Dora the Explorer, Bob the Builder, or Baby Einstein, I grew up on Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. Today I found out, through the always resourceful The Disney Blog, that Kermit Love passed away at age 91 this past Saturday.

Kermit Love was the man who helped design Big Bird, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Oscar the Grouch, and Cookie Monster. For those who remember, or have seen some of the old episodes recently, Love appeared on the show as Willy the Hot Dog Man. Through the constant six year old eyes of Big Bird I learned that curiosity was okay, my letters and numbers, how to forgive, how to express my emotions, and how do dance, badly I might add. A favorite tune of Sesame Street, Sing, told me to, “Sing of good things, not bad. Sing of happy, not sad.”

So to Kermit Love, long-time friend of Jim Henson and adamant refuter of the notion he was the namesake of the famous Frog, thank you for all the smiles you have brought to children for generations, thank you for helping to mold us into upstanding citizens, thank you for caring for all us and your creations. Today, as you celebrated the unabashed joy of youth, we celebrate you.